The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 15

I took another deep breath and wiped my eyes before I cleared my throat. I tried to smile at my wolf, but I knew that it didn't work because he frowned and had his ears close to the side of his head.

He whined and nuzzled me, and I cleared my throat and rubbed his neck. He was worried; I could tell, and I had no idea why he was so worried about me.

I cleared my throat and shook my head, rubbing my eyes again. "I'm fine," I said and took another deep breath. "I am just missing home, is all." I shook my head and chuckled bitterly. "I wasn't popular, but I was known, ya know?" I sighed and cleared my throat. "I just need a couple of days, I think, and then I should be fine."

Xav frowned and studied me. He didn't believe me when I said that I would be fine or was fine, and I had no idea when I would be able to say that I was fine and mean it. He whined and nuzzled his head closer to me.

I sighed and rubbed his cheek before I cleared my throat again and shifted ever slightly. "I do have to go, though," I said, but I didn't move from my spot beside him because he gave me the comfort that I craved. "I wasn't lying when I said that."

Xav whined and wagged his tail, indicating that he knew I was telling the truth. He didn't move away from me, though, and I had a feeling that I was going to have to be the one to move first if I was ever going to leave on time.

I cleared my throat and patted his cheek before I moved away from him. I packed my bag and didn't look back at him, even though I knew that he was watching me. "Will you meet me here in this spot tomorrow at the same time?" I asked after I had finished packing my bag and looked at him. "I know that my schedule is going to change soon once I find a gym, studio, and other stuff, but for right now, I think I can make it until I know what's up."

Xav nodded. He cocked his head, and I had a feeling that he was wondering if I would tell him when my schedule would change.

"I'll tell you," I promised. "I do want to see you every day." My cheeks grew red, and I looked away, feeling bashful about my bluntness. "Ummm... if you don't mind. I don't know what you have to do, but I... ya... I'm gonna stop talking now."

Xav chuckled and nuzzled my shoulder. He told me that he was ok with my bluntness and that he wanted to see me every day, too. He'll be at this spot, waiting for me to get here whenever I decide to show up.

"Just don't wait the whole day, ok?" I asked and wrinkled my nose. "I do have school to go to, so it'll have to be the afternoon. And I don't want you to have to wait here for too long if you do have stuff to do."

Xav whined and nuzzled me. He let me know that he would make time for me in the afternoon. There might be days when our visits were short, but I would get to see him and say hello.

I nodded and cleared my throat before I stood and put my bag on my back. "Then I'll see you here tomorrow," I said, and he nodded. I gave him one last hug before I turned around and started to walk the way that I had gone.

Xav watched me before he jumped into the bushes and ran towards wherever he needed to be. He didn't look back, and I was grateful because if he did, then he would have seen me stop and look at one of the tree people, even though I couldn't see them. He would have seen one of the tree people leave and follow him to make sure that he made it back to his place safely.

And under the eyes of the remaining five, I twisted on my heels and ran all the way home, praying that Xav would be back the following day like he promised.

***

"So where are we going to eat exactly?" I asked and leaned forward so that I could look at my parents. I rested my hands on the arm rests to balance myself while I looked at them. "I mean, you haven't told me that information yet. Also, where are we going? I don't think that there is food this way."

"Sit back down in your seat, Cassidy Anne," my father gruffed from the driver's seat. He looked at me through the mirror before he looked at the road. "Why do you have to ask so many questions?"

I shrugged and sat back in my seat. "Because it is normal for me, duh," I said, and my mother had to bite back a snort. I smiled at my mother when she looked at me before I looked at my dad. "I mean, you'd think something was wrong with me if I didn't question everything."

"Hmph," my father replied, covering a chuckle. He cleared his throat and tapped on the steering wheel. "To answer your first question, a friend of mine had opened up a food place here in town. I was thinking that we could eat there. It has some of the best burgers that I have ever eaten."

"What's it called?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Pablo's Grill and Chill," Dad replied, and I grew still because that name sounded familiar to me for some reason. He shrugged and didn't catch me growing still. "The first restaurant they had is pretty far, but we can stop there whenever you are out of school," he said and glanced at me through the mirror before he looked at the road.

I nodded and cleared my throat, making sure to be as cool and collected as I could be. "What about the place we are going to first?" I asked, making sure that my voice was leveled and didn't quiver.

"We are taking you to a gym that I think you will like," my father replied. He glanced at me through the mirror again before he looked at the road. "You are to start training there tomorrow, but the person that runs the place wanted to meet you today."

I slowly nodded and furrowed my brows in confusion when a random thought occurred to me. "Why am I now just getting to do these things?" I asked.

"We wanted to get you acclimated with the town and then with school," Mom replied. She turned towards me and smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was worried for some reason, and I couldn't help but wonder what caused her to be so worried and if there was some way I could stop it. "Besides," she shrugged, "the people that you were going to be working with were out of town until today, so it makes life easier."

I didn't narrow my eyes at her like I wanted to because I didn't want her to know that I knew she was lying. I had a feeling that the people, whoever they were, had been here for a while now, but they didn't want me to start just yet.

They wanted to keep me as a child when they knew I was growing up.

Another thought mulled itself around my mind, but I didn't let it stay too long. I had a feeling that there was another reason why they didn't want me to work with this group yet, and a part of me wondered if it was because I was a lot faster and stronger than I looked.

That had led to many questions and concerns, but most of it was kept out of reach from my ears, especially those that considered me to be more special than some other people.

I sighed but nodded, having a feeling that my questions would be answered sooner rather than later. I had no idea what was planned for me, but I knew that this town held many answers to the questions I had over the years.

Especially the ones about the mysterious blue eyed man that sometimes appeared in my dreams.

"Are we still going to get me into a dance studio and then some place where I can do gymnastics, too?" I asked, and my parents nodded in confirmation. I leaned back in my seat and sighed, feeling anxious and nervous about this new place that I was going to be going to.

Goddess, please let there be people that do have some answers to my questions and will be willing to answer them at this new place. Please.